


Touched by a god

by Mastre



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Dubious Consent, F/M, Inspired By Tumblr, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, POV Third Person, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-01-26 05:42:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12550428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mastre/pseuds/Mastre
Summary: When your life falls apart a stranger shows up with an offer you can't refuse.





	1. Change

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a prompt on writing-prompt-s.tumblr.com/ and I am very grateful to LedaSF who encouraged me to actually follow up on the inspiration and write it. I'm also apologetic for the resulting fic becoming a lot smuttier than I (and her probably) expected. My muse has their own idea of where to take things; I'm just along for the ride. Also, a big Thank You to Latent_Thoughts for reading my drafts and being an endless source of encouragement.

When life comes crashing down there aren't many options left.

You can sit in the remains of your shattered existence and cry, ponder how to best kill yourself... or you can use your last money to get really, really drunk.

She went for the latter.

It wasn't her habit; maybe that's why it hit so hard. Or maybe she overindulged; she honestly couldn't remember how much she had had before things began getting fuzzy.

When she woke up in a stranger's bed there were only fragmented memories. Most of them were of skin against skin, an insistent mouth invading hers and strong hands pinning her to the bed. 

There were bruises on her wrists.

"I see you're awake. It's about time."

The voice was dark and cool, velvet and steel. Familiar, yet... foreign, like the man stepping into her visual field. She'd never seen him before, still, there was a distinct feeling she knew him. The raven black hair, now slicked back, had been loosened in soft curls as he bent over her, sucking and nibbling on her neck. Those piercing eyes, now green, had had a moment's glimpse of red in them as they darkened in unrestrained lust.

"Who are you?"

"The bathroom is over there, in case you don't remember. I'm sure it all comes back when you've freshened up a bit."

She couldn't argue with that. Stumbling out of bed, trying to look dignified when she realized she was _very_ naked, she started moving towards the indicated door. There was a distinct ache in her thigh muscles as well, like she'd been through a vigorous work-out.

The shower was a blessing, something familiar to cling to. She avoided looking down at herself, not ready to face the sore spots or the sticky fluids gathered between her legs.

_No protection; what was I thinking?_

Her body felt different, another sign she wasn't back to her senses yet. Damn alcohol! At least she wasn't hungover; it was a fucking miracle.

The towels were luxurious, soft and fluffy. Looking around she realized this must be either a high-end apartment or a really expensive hotel. How in the world did she end up here?

Then her eyes fell on the mirror and she froze.

With the towel loosely wrapped around herself, she stepped closer, wiping the glass for a clearer view. The image didn't change. She opened the towel to look at her body, then back to the mirror.

It was still her. The eye-color was deeper, the skin clearer, the hair fuller. It was like her face had gone through minuscule shifts in all the right places. Her body had muscle definition, a pronounced waistline and... did she imagine it or was she just a bit taller?

The door opened and the man stepped in behind her.  
"Like what you see? It’s one of a few fringe benefits you get out of our agreement. Now get dressed; we have a long day ahead of us."

Lost for words she turned around to face him.

A name came into her mind. "Loki".

A name she had uttered when shamelessly moaning under him. A name that still tasted sinfully sweet on her tongue.

"What did you do to me?"

"Nothing you didn't agree to," he smirked, then indicated a set of neatly folded clothes on a surface near the door. "You will wear these. I took the liberty of disposing of your old garments."

_What the hell?_

He left before she had a chance to say more.

Hesitantly she approached the clothes. They were... very nice. Much nicer than anything she'd ever worn before. The kind of clothes someone with her income could only dream about. She carefully put them on, almost afraid to rip or stain them somehow.

Looking in the mirror again, they fit her perfectly, enhancing her new features in the most flattering way.

She found earrings on a shelf near the mirror, and make-up. Guessing he meant for her to put them on, she did, trying not to take too long time. Something should probably be done about her hair as well, but she didn't dare to let him wait any longer.

Instead, she walked back into the bedroom with all the confidence she could muster.

Loki was wearing a black suit with equally black shirt and tie. He eyed her up and down, then lifted his hands to her hair and did something to it.  
"That is better," he concluded. "You look presentable enough. Let's go."

"Where are we going?" she asked, following him through what turned out to be an apartment, sparsely but tastefully decorated in green and gold. High-end indeed.

"We are going to meet some people, and I expect you to follow my instructions to the letter. If you do well, I may consider rewarding you when we're done."

His tone didn't invite questions. She thought it best to just go along and see what would happen.

Her memories of last night were still disturbingly vague. She had gone out to drink, but then... The sex had been incredibly good, she knew that much. The wicked things he could do with those long fingers; his voice in her ear, making her want to go along with just about anything he suggested. But first, there was something else, some kind of proposal...

Loki calling for her attention brought her back to the now.

"Yes?" 

"When we arrive you are to stay by my side unless I say otherwise. I will handle the introductions." He handed her a purse in green and black with a gold emblem resembling a pair of horns. "This is yours. Try to look like you know what to do with it."

"I can carry a purse." She frowned. Just how uncultivated did he think she was?

When they got out of the car she estimated the distance to the ground wrong and almost tripped, but managed to recover before the slip became too obvious. Loki gave her a look but didn't say anything. He took her arm and escorted her up the stairs to an old, impressive stone building. There was a curious symbol over the door, one she'd never seen before.

Before they could touch the door itself it swung open, revealing a man that could have been a doorman or a butler or something else, she really couldn't tell. He showed them through a hall with lots of dark wood, and further into a room with an open fire and a few couches along the walls.

"Mr. Thornby will be along shortly. Please have a seat while you're waiting."

Loki pulled her along to one of the couches, which was remarkably comfortable.

"What is this place?" she whispered.

"It is what you would refer to as a 'private club'," he answered softly while putting a hand on her thigh and stroking it with his fingers. "Try to look like we're talking about something more... intimate. We don't know who might be watching."

"How can it be more appropriate to talk about 'intimate' things when someone's watching than..."

Loki squeezed her thigh to the point of pain and she went quiet.

_That's going to leave a bruise._

"I'm attempting to get an invitation to an event hosted at a certain location," he murmured, "and your presence is the final key to that happening. You are to act as my pet, and don't speak unless spoken to."

_Pet? What the fuck kind of club is this?_

A middle-aged man with authoritative demeanor entered the room and proceeded to greet them.  
"Ah, Mr. Ward, so pleased to see you again. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Not at all," Loki dismissed, turning to the man's attention to her. "This is Eldi."

_Eldi? But that's the name of my..._

And suddenly it all came flooding back.


	2. Plans and pleasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waiting doesn't have to be boring...

When very young she had had an imaginary friend, one that was everything she wanted to be but couldn't. The name Eldi had come to her naturally, and she hadn't even been aware that it existed as a name anywhere else. Much later she had looked it up and found that it could have different meanings depending on language, and they were all powerful and appealing. Words like 'fire', 'wise', and 'warrior'. She had tucked the name away in a secret part of herself, only calling on it when life was being too hard and she needed its strength.

When Loki had told her to select a new name for herself, that's the one she had chosen.

_A new name, a new body, a new life._

With introductions out of the way Loki and the man known as Mr. Thornby went on to discuss other matters. She had to admire Loki's smooth talking. He seemed to be in his element here.

As the hours passed they met with different men, all eyeing her with interest but barely addressing her as a person. She felt like an attachment and it was getting boring, not to mention tiring since her shoes were of the more-pretty-than-comfortable variety.

"How long is this going to go on?" she whispered to Loki when they had a moment to themselves.

"Most of the day, I expect. The event is two nights from now; if we don't secure an invitation today we will have to wait another month."

"They hold them every month?"

"Indeed. Now be quiet."

Yet another middle-aged man was approaching them; this one practically oozing Old Money.

She sure hoped "the event" was going to be more entertaining than this.

* * *

"So what is this event you're trying to get into?" she asked when finally back at the apartment and out of those infernal shoes. She put her feet on the coffee table and flexed her toes, hoping they would return to their old shape eventually.

Loki removed his jacket and poured two glasses of wine before joining her. He lifted her feet off the table and put the glasses down on the surface.

They had been sitting here last night too but in a less civilized manner. Most of the time she had spent entangled with him on the sofa, as she recalled.

"It's an exclusive party held at a private property outside of the city." He sipped the wine and licked his lips. "Due to some of the guests being... let's say _protective_ of their reputation, participation requires the approval of several high-ranking members of the club we visited today, and any potential invitee is rigorously screened."

"So you've been screened," she concluded, letting the wine immerse her tongue. It tasted better than the cheap kind she was used to. "What do you need me for?"

"As a guest, I'm expected to bring a female companion. It's actually a requirement, I've been informed. I have a fair idea of what goes on at these parties and you should probably prepare yourself for some debauchery."

She wasn't sure what to make of that. Debauchery? Like... public sex? Drugs? Satanic rituals?

"Those people we met at the club seemed rather old; I didn't see anyone below fifty. I mean, are we really going to fit in there?"

"They are only the ones making the final decision," Loki dismissed. "I have made several acquaintances who are younger and will most likely be attending. For the record, I am Lucas Ward, the heir of the Ward family fortune and I moved here recently from Europe."

"And are you really?" she dared ask.

Loki smiled knowingly.  
"For the purpose of this endeavor I am."

She had another sip of wine while pondering this new information.  
"And why are you so intent on going to this party? Just to have fun? Hang with the right people?"

Loki made a face.  
"I don't take much joy in 'hanging' with those self-important fools. I have a very specific purpose for attending said event, and it's better that you don't know the details for now."

Yeah. She kind of agreed. The longer she stayed around Loki the more she wondered what she had gotten herself into.

Not that the alternative was any better.

"How did you change my looks?" she asked. All day she had been trying to adapt to the idea that she was beautiful, and learn to navigate her longer limbs. There was progress, but she still had no idea how it was all possible.

Loki watched her thoughtfully.  
"I used a spell," he said. "It needs to be renewed daily but the changes will eventually become permanent if persistently applied."

"A spell?"

"Yes."

She wasn't sure whether to take him seriously or not. It had been a lot easier to accept anything he said when she was drunk.

Loki put his glass down and pulled her over to where he sat. She hesitated, not sure of why, but in the end it didn't make a difference. He draped her legs sideways over his and wrapped an arm around her back.

"Now all we have to do is pass the time while we wait," he said and held her firmly while touching his lips to hers. The taste of wine mixed with his personal flavor in an interesting way, she noticed before succumbing to the sensations his tongue stirred up inside her. He was good at kissing; insistent and eager, like he knew exactly what he wanted and wouldn't take a no for an answer.

His hand was traveling up the inside of her thigh, stroking and squeezing, till it reached the edge of her underwear and slipped two fingers inside. She twitched when they made contact with her folds. Not letting her pull away from the kiss he continued sliding his fingers back and forth, gathering moisture and spreading it out. She wiggled in his grip, unable to keep still, but he didn't let her go.

Gently but firmly he pushed her backward till her back hit the sofa cushion and he covered her with his body, separating her legs with his own.  
"I hadn't expected to get so much pleasure out of this," he murmured against her lips, "but why not?" He wiggled and curled his fingers while his thumb sought out the sensitive ridge above her entrance.

Why not, indeed? His ministrations left her breathless, her fingers digging into his arms in pure reflex as she tensed and tried to move against his hand for more stimulation. He kept teasing her, holding back just before she could get what she wanted, bringing her to the edge over and over only to pull back in the last minute. She kicked her legs in frustration and tried to reach down to finish by herself but he gripped both her wrists and locked them over her head with one large hand.  
"There is something you have to do for me first."

"What?"

He smiled knowingly, then began unzipping his pants. She had a feeling what was to come even before he moved up to straddle her shoulders.

"I'm not... I'm not good at that," she tried to protest, not sure how to handle the situation.

"You will be," he said, "but only with practice."

She hesitated, bothered by his wording, but his grip on her wrists was relentless and there was no way she could push him off. He was a lot stronger than her, she knew that from last night.  
"What if I don't?"

"I suppose I could tie you up and leave you unsatisfied. I do intend to have my fill of you, in one way or another; it's rather a matter of whether you value your own pleasure or not."

Settled comfortably with his stiff length in front of her face he reached back to touch her folds again. She hissed between her teeth. It was agony what he put her through, and she had a distinct feeling he wouldn't hesitate to make real of his threat. There was something about Loki that made you take him seriously, something dark she couldn't quite put her finger on.

She moistened her lips and slid them over the silky head, having to lift her head up to reach. Loki's hand withdrew from her nether regions to support her by the back of her neck. He wasn't forcing anything, only keeping her neck from being tired as she moved at her own pace.

It wasn't... repulsive. A bit enticing even.

"Use your tongue," he said.

She did her best, licking the smooth skin, flicking her tongue over the edge underneath. Judging from his pleased sighs she must be doing something right. 

It _was_ enticing. Something about the way he pinned her down, locking her hands over her head, forcing her to do his bidding... She couldn't help but like it. 

He removed his hand from her neck, instead twisting her hair around it. It gave her less freedom to move, making her completely dependent on him. If he decided to...

She felt a surge of arousal.

_What are you doing to me?_

He rolled his hips, pushing deeper into her mouth while holding her head still. She tried to block him with her tongue but it only seemed to encourage him, judging from the purring sounds he made. He kept moving, slowly, rhythmically, without going so far it became truly uncomfortable.

She tried to relax and let him have his way but his teasing was all too fresh and she squirmed under him in a futile attempt to find friction, getting more and more excited.

He tensed up, but instead of releasing he pulled back and let go of her hair.  
"Not yet," he said, moving off her and stepping down on the floor. Without further ado, he lifted her up in his arms. "One step at a time and I'd rather continue this in the bedroom."

He dropped her on the bed and began removing her clothes, ripping out a couple of buttons in the process, while muttering something that sounded like "flimsy Midgardian garments". She had no idea what that was supposed to mean but was too excited to think much about it.

The rest was all passion; loud moans and soft gasps, wave after wave of pleasure and a voice of velvet murmuring the most outrageous things in her ear.


	3. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let the debauchery begin!

"Hold still," Loki ordered and slipped a necklace around her neck, closing it in the back. Her hand came up to touch it. It was of black velvet, with the same golden horn symbol from her purse resting against the dip in her collarbone.

"What is this?" she asked curiously, her fingers tracing the symbol.

"Let's call it a sign of ownership."

"Does it mean anything?"

"It means that you are mine, and anyone else will have to ask permission to touch you."

She looked at herself in the mirror, and Loki standing behind her.  
"And will you give permission?" A sudden burst of fear rushed through her. Who knew what this man was capable of doing?

"Perhaps. If it is what's needed to get us what we want."

"Just what kind of party are we going to?"

"You'll see."

During the trip to their destination he instructed her on how to behave, as if he thought she had forgotten. They had gone over it multiple times already, but Loki still wasn't satisfied.  
"I will not tolerate you inconveniencing me," he said sternly. "Don't doubt that the consequences will be grave for doing so."

She touched the necklace, thinking about what was ahead, then what she'd left behind. The local news hadn't mentioned anything. Maybe they weren't looking for her yet.

_I can still get out of this._

A glance at Loki told her otherwise. It was too late to back out now. They had a deal. She just hoped he would keep his end of the bargain.

* * *

The mansion was impressive, built in stone and probably at least a century old. It was surrounded by well-kept lawns and protected by an oversized double gate.

She managed to get out of the car without mishap this time, and with Loki's arm under hers, they walked up the steps to the front door. He looked stunning, dressed mostly in black and with a patterned scarf loosely hanging over his jacket.

Her own attire was a lot more revealing but still classy enough for a high-end party. She discreetly tried to cover her cleavage a bit better, but Loki gave her a stern look and she quickly withdrew her fingers. At least she wasn't the only one. The other women all wore outfits which showed off their assets to varying degree. And they were all breathtakingly attractive.

Their host was a man in his sixties who she recognized from their visit at the club. He eyed her appreciatively but barely addressed her person. After a brief conversation with Loki, he gestured for another, younger man to approach them.

"This is my son, Eric. He will show you around and introduce you to a few of our guests. Make yourself comfortable, have a drink, and I will show you my collection later."

"Eric" turned out to be more entertaining than any of the men she'd seen so far.

"I will show you my collection," he said with a mocking voice once his father was without earshot, "because I like to brag about having what nobody else has."

"I hear it's quite impressive," Loki said.

"If you like dusty old crap, sure. The wine cellar is a lot more entertaining if you ask me."

Eldi tried not to giggle and graciously accepted the drink she was offered.

Eric began showing them around, pointing out important guests and introducing them to a few. Rather it was Loki who was being introduced; she was still treated like an accessory.

"That's senator Roberts. He wants to be president but, believe me, nobody would vote for him, not even his own people. He likes to be peed on."

Eldi almost dropped her glass, trying to cough to mask her facial expression.

"And that's that news anchor... what's his name again? God, I don't understand why people watch the news; I'd want to kill myself."

She couldn't understand how Loki could keep a straight face. And it just went on.

"Dr. Sutton," Eric indicated, "Senior Consultant at one of the hospitals. He drinks too much and gets frisky with the ladies. That is not his wife, by the way."

"Dave Linton; his uncle bails him out when he gets in trouble. He's into sandwiches, if you know what I mean."

Some of the guests had a more open display of their relationship dynamics and she began to understand what Loki had meant when talking about debauchery. 

There were private rooms to withdraw to, but some of what she saw out in the open made her wonder if she'd walked into a high-end brothel. And the night was still young; she could only imagine what it would be like in a few hours.

Eric noticed her looking at a couple they passed, the woman wearing an unusual accessory in purple leather with a silver chain attached.  
"Oh yes, the collar. A bit tacky, if you ask me, but we all have our preferences."

"We do indeed," Loki said, a dark smile grazing his lips.

_"Why do I get the feeling there are virgin sacrifices going on in the basement?"_ she thought.

Not much would surprise her at this point. Was this really how rich people entertained themselves?

Her hand once more went to the necklace. At least Loki didn't make her wear a collar. She would have been mortified.

It was about an hour later that their host took them downstairs to show off his infamous collection. It turned out to be an impressive gathering of art, rare books, and archeological artifacts. The latter she actually had some knowledge about, having taken a course or two in the subject.

"I pride myself on finding unique pieces," their host explained. "Each item is evaluated and tested for authenticity by at least two independent experts." He indicated a painting. "This was meant to be destroyed in the art burning in Berlin in 1939. It was saved in the last minute. And over here..." He continued showing them various items. Loki inserted a comment here and there, indulging the man. Her own attempts at participating were left ignored.

Eventually, they were returned to the party and told to enjoy themselves for the rest of the evening.

"So what do we do now?" she asked Loki while reaching for another drink. "Just hang around or do you have anything in mind?"

"We will do what's expected of us for now. Don't drink too much."

"I wouldn't dream of it." She glanced around. This was not an environment where she'd want to lose control of her faculties.

_Once is enough. The last time got me a deal with the devil._

She side-eyed Loki. Maybe he was the devil. She hadn't forgotten that glimpse of red in his eyes when he... was at the peak of his passion, so to speak.

And wasn't that how it worked? In your most desperate hour a demon, or the devil himself, shows up with a deal you can't refuse.

She'd never believed in that sort of thing. Now... she wasn't so sure.


	4. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When there's one discovery after another.

"It is time," Loki said.

"Time for what?"

"Come with me."

With a hand on her back he guided her towards the private rooms, but once there he continued past, slipping into a hallway and stopping by a door.  
"You need to be quiet," he instructed her, then held his hand against the door without fully making contact with it. He looked like he was listening for something. Next, he did a subtle hand movement and pressed the handle. "Don't touch anything; there are likely to be alarms."

_Uh-oh. Like I'm not in deep enough shit already..._

They moved through an empty room with a billiard table and further through a corridor till they reached a stairwell. Loki held her back and indicated a camera mounted on the wall. While she waited he did another small gesture with his fingers before urging her along down the stairs. His movements were all remarkably silent, and she felt like a small herd of elephants in comparison. Halfway down she stopped and took off her high-heeled shoes, continuing barefoot. Loki raised an eyebrow in approval. 

She couldn't figure out what he was doing to the security devices: it honestly looked like he only concentrated and made small hand movements, not even touching the objects in question. Yet they managed to avoid being detected on their way to the collection room, the latter apparently being Loki's goal. 

"What are you looking for?" she asked but Loki ignored her, inspecting the space and its items with keen eyes. 

"There has to be more," he mumbled. Then: "Ah!" He found a heavy, unobtrusive door in the back and once again did his hand-and-listening thing. The door opened without a sound and they stepped into another room, also filled with items like the last. 

She wondered why their host hadn't shown off this part. At first, there didn't seem to be much difference between this room's content and the other's. 

Loki systematically searched through the displays. Since she didn't know what he was looking for she began looking around herself, just to have something to do. Small labels were presenting the objects but most of them didn't tell her much. Until... 

"Loki..." 

"Hmm?" 

"This painting... It's "The Concert". Wasn't it stolen in the nineties? It's supposed to be the most valuable stolen and unrecovered painting in history!" 

"Quite possible." 

She frowned at his blatant disinterest but didn't persist. Maybe he was used to being around stolen paintings. 

She continued to the archeological artifacts, finding them more interesting.  
"This was believed to be destroyed by the conquistadors!" 

"We do not have the time to discuss every item you see," Loki said. "And do keep your voice down." 

"And this is from ancient Egypt... It should be at a museum," she whispered to him, "where people can study it! Not hidden away in someone's basement." Her eyes fell on an item Loki was holding. It resembled an instrument of some sort, folding out like a fan with intricate details and something that could have been letters had they not looked so foreign. "What is that?" 

"What we came here for," Loki said and folded it back together before having it spin between his hands and vanish into nothing. 

"What...?" 

"There is no time for delay. Now we leave." 

He steered her out of there, making sure to close every door behind them. Before they could reach the stairs, however, the sound of voices made Loki turn and nudge her towards another door. Once inside they found a panel with screens and some electronic set-up.

She wasn't sure what to expect when Loki pressed a couple of buttons, figuring out how to turn one of the monitors on. In view came a man in a suit with a woman on her knees in front of him.  
"Isn't that...?" 

Loki switched to another screen, showing a man with a glass in one hand and the other up his date's skirt." 

"These aren't security cameras, are they?" 

"I highly doubt it," Loki said. 

The third image was of an empty room with a bed. The fourth one showed four people standing by a curtain, talking.

"They're filming the party," she concluded. 

"And the private rooms," Loki said. "I would wager that every space even remotely private is equipped with surveillance." 

"Did you know this?" She kept watching with morbid fascination as increasingly explicit scenes played out before her eyes. 

"I suspected something of the sort. I noticed our host didn't partake in the frivolities, so he would obviously have other motives for arranging these gatherings." 

She hadn't thought about that.  
"Like... blackmail?"

"Considering the more prominent guests we've seen indulging in their vices tonight, I imagine this footage could provide a certain... _incentive_ if used properly." 

She shuddered.  
"We're in those pictures too. Not that we did anything outrageous, but..." 

"It would not be wise to leave our images behind." Loki quickly located the recording equipment and did something to it, she couldn't make out what. Maybe whatever he'd been doing to the alarms and cameras earlier.

They returned to the party without incident, but she couldn't help being nervous.

"Won't he discover that the thing is missing?" she whispered, pretending to nuzzle Loki's neck. 

He slid an arm around her.  
"I left a magic replica in its place."

"Magic?"

"It will take about 12 hours to dissolve. We will be far from here by then."

He talked about magic as an everyday thing. Like it was real. She honestly didn't know what to believe anymore.

Their private conversation was interrupted by another guest, temporarily without company and more than ready to strike up a conversation.

With Loki, of course. She could just as well have been invisible. 

Halfway through it, the man finally gave her a measuring look.  
"Do you share?" he asked Loki, lounging against the wall as he sipped his drink.

Eldi suddenly remembered Eric's gossip from earlier in the evening. 

Dave Linton, the guy who liked...

_Nope, nope, nope. Loki, don't even think about it!_

She wanted to back away but Loki held her firmly in place with his arm around her back.

"Not tonight," he said, "but perhaps another time? And a more... private venue?" 

The other man seemed somewhat irritated but didn't argue.  
"Look," he said. "Here's my card. Hit me up and we'll think of something." He gave her another slimy look before moving on.

Eldi drew a sigh of relief.  
"When are we going to leave?" she asked.


	5. Gods and Mortals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relaxing after the party... and Loki has divine ideas.

"Okay, I have now killed a man, trespassed on private property and committed grand theft. Is there anything else while we're at it?" She was sprawled on the bed, still dressed minus the shoes, and just about exhausted after the evening's events.

"You didn't kill anyone," Loki corrected.

"Well, not _tonight_."

"Are you still concerned about that incident? I thought I had reassured you on the matter." 

"I left a dead guy in my apartment! It's a little more than an 'incident'."

Loki made a dismissive gesture.  
"You have performed according to my wishes and I intend to uphold my end of our bargain. Once the spell is permanent and you have whatever documents you need, the authorities are unlikely to find you."

His words had a strangely reassuring effect on her. Or maybe it was his voice. Soothing, confident... dismissive of the whole affair.

"And how long before the spell is permanent?" She would just go along with magic being real. After everything she'd seen the last couple of days...

"Difficult to predict for certain, but since you're mortal it probably won't take very long."

Mortal?

She closed her eyes. 

_Maybe I died in that fight. Maybe I was knocked over the head. I'm dreaming this whole thing._

She felt a dip in the bed as Loki settled between her legs.

"How can you think about sex now?" she groaned.

"How could I not?"

Of course. A whole evening of subtle and not-so-subtle sexual display. And they hadn't done anything about it, being too focused on their mission.

Looking up, her eyes confirmed what she already knew. Loki was naked and at full attention, so to speak. He made short work of her clothes.

"I'm too tired," she complained.

"Soon enough you won't be," he said self-assuredly and dipped his head down between her legs.

"Oh, god!" 

There was... a very skilled tongue working its way around her womanly parts. Soft, yet insistent; agile and strong. She curled her fingers into the bed sheets as it explored her most sensitive spots, caressing them with avidity.

Just when she was about to fall apart from the stimulation, he stopped and moved up to lean over her. His eyes were dark as night, his predatory face an image of passion waiting to be unleashed. He licked his lips, an utterly obscene gesture considering where his mouth had just been.

"I am pleased to be called your god. You may use that epithet to address me anytime you wish."

Fuck!

With little resistance he guided his length inside, sinking it fully into her with one firm thrust of his hips. She let out a loud gasp a the powerful sensation, almost brought over the edge by it alone. Loki breathed a sigh of contentment and began to move, eyes half closed in concentration.

It didn't take long before he tensed up, clenched his teeth, and emptied himself inside her, but he didn't stop. She was used to that; he didn't seem to need recovery time like most men, and it certainly wasn't a thing to complain about.

They continued at a slower pace as he hooked her knee over one arm to reach deeper, rubbing against her sweet spot with every thrust.

"We could have done this at the party," she mumbled. "I'm so glad we didn't."

Even if Loki had destroyed the recordings it made her uneasy to think about how close they had been to being filmed. If they had actually used those private rooms for what they were intended...

"Perhaps I should have taken our friend up on his offer," Loki said.

"Hell no! Didn't you hear what he was into? Sandwiches; it means..."

"I am well aware of what it means," Loki smirked. "You Midgardians have the most curious expressions for such things."

She made a face.  
"I didn't find it funny. I almost thought you were going to go along with it."

Loki nuzzled her neck and ear, making her shiver.  
"Is it the act itself that appalls you, or merely the thought of him participating?"

"Both! And he was a creep."

Loki was quiet for a few moments, indulging in the slowly building sensations. She could feel his muscles working under his smooth, cool skin. There was a strange looking scar on his chest that she had yet to ask about. It corresponded to another one on his back as if something had once passed right through, yet, somehow, left him alive.

"So you might consider it if it was all me?" he said.

"What?"

He brushed his lips against hers without fully closing in for a kiss.  
"If there were two of me; myself and an identical copy. Would that arouse you?"

"What are you talking about? Do you have a twin?" She didn't like where this conversation was going.

"I normally use illusionary magic for such things, but there are ways to make such a copy more solid... temporarily. You wouldn't know the difference."

"Loki... You're freaking me out."

"Just imagine it," he said and moved up to kneeling position, maintaining a tight grip on her hips to keep her from slipping off. She found herself with only head and shoulders resting on the bed as her lower body was held in the air and vigorously thrust into. It was an angle that intensified the sensation and quickly brought her back to her previous state of excitement.

Yes, she could imagine it, quite vividly in fact, but fantasy and reality were different things and she would never...

Her thoughts were interrupted by a surge of arousal as he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her.  
"Oh, god!"

"Yes..." Loki hissed. "You have served your god well... and you will be rewarded... most generously."

She lost all thought as his words and movements brought her over the edge. 

"Who are you?" she murmured later, halfway to sleep with Loki's arms around her, back against his chest. She felt cradled, safe, cared for, which was a strange feeling, everything considered. His seed was still on her thighs, as he hadn't allowed her to clean up, and she could feel him hardening again; things telling her he might not yet be done.

"I believe I told you," he said. "I am a god, though some would rather call me a monster."

His words should have unsettled her, but she was too far gone for that now, it seemed.

"Are you the devil?"

Loki chuckled in amusement.  
"Is that what you think? You mortals have such naive concepts of what exists beyond the borders of your world."

"You're not human."

He chuckled again.  
"No, my dear. That I am not."


	6. Unknown Abilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are revealed and experienced.

It was early afternoon when she finally made her way into the living room, rested and showered. Seeing Loki on the sofa with the strange artifact in his hands reminded her that yesterdays adventures had been as real as the rest.

"What is that?" she asked as she sat next to him. She had never seen anything remotely like it.

"It is an instrument for locating things," Loki said absently. He was examining it closely, tracing the symbols with delicate fingers.

"So how does it work?"

As if to answer, an image was projected before them; blurry at first, but as Loki's fingers touched another symbol it became clearer.

"What is this?" she breathed. The image seemed to fill the room, giving her an eerie feeling of being a part of it. She also experienced a strange sensation of falling.

"Don't think too much of it," Loki said, his voice seeming far away. "Your mortal mind would not comprehend what you're seeing."

"But yours would?" She didn't like his haughty tone but was too mesmerized to truly care. There were colors swirling, mostly reddish in tone, but beyond those... "It's a place. But it looks so... different."

Before she could try to analyze it, the image vanished and she felt pulled back to reality with a start. Suddenly she was a lot more aware of the physical world around her; the sofa she was sitting on, the floor under her feet, her own heart beating in her chest.

Loki was watching her with a frown.  
"What did you see?" he asked.

"I... I can't describe it. It looked like somewhere... indoors, with glass cases and curious things and... creatures, I think? But they were so bizarre."

Loki folded the instrument together and stored it away like he had done the night before.  
"That is curious," he said.

"Do you know what it was?"

"In fact, I do." He didn't say anything else but looked decidedly thoughtful as he stood and walked into the kitchen.

She waited a bit before following, wanting to make sure her balance was in order after the experience.

"You did see the same thing I did, didn't you?" She entered as he was pouring hot water into a teacup.

"I did," he confirmed.

"But you won't tell me what it means?"

"My explanation would do you little good. It is a place, very far away from this world; that is all you need to know."

That wasn't very satisfying.

"So if it's far away, how...?"

"I don't believe you have been completely honest with me," Loki interrupted her, and there was a hint of danger in his voice.

"What?"

"You're not a mere mortal, are you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He walked towards her, making her instinctively back off only to be stopped by the wall. He came up close, looking down at her with a gaze that gave her chills. A hand closed around her throat.

For a moment she panicked, but there was no pressure, only a steady grip.

"How did you kill that man?" he asked.

"I... hit him."

"It's not easy for a mortal to kill another, and yet you did so in one blow?"

"I used a chair." She cringed at the memory. "I was lucky."

"And there are no marks on you," he continued. "I have seen every inch of your body and there is no sign you were in a fight for your life the night we met."

Her hands were shaking as she brought them up to clasp Loki's wrist.  
"That's why they wouldn't believe me! I can't prove he attacked me!"

"You let him into your home."

"He was my neighbor, I thought..."

Loki's other hand came up to touch her forehead and everything stopped.

_"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'm having someone over tonight and I just ran out of..."_

_"Sure, no problem. Just let me..."_

_Something's wrong..._

_"Bitch!"_

_"Let go of me!"_

_"You think you're too good for me?"_

_"Stop!"_

_Blood._

When Loki let her go she rushed to the sink and threw up. Shaking, she remained hunched over, stomach heaving.

"It seems you were truthful," came Loki's voice behind her.

"Go fuck yourself!" She managed to rinse her mouth under the tap before turning to face him. "What the hell did you do?"

"Simply making sure that your story was true." He seemed unfazed by her reaction. "The way you swung that chair at him, however... It should have injured the man at most, not killed him."

"I didn't mean to kill him! I just needed to stop him from coming at me. I panicked."

"Hmm..." Loki pursed his lips.

She let her knees fold and sank to the floor with her back against the cabinets. Tears were running down her face but she was too upset to care.

Loki was rubbing his hands together, a sign that he was thinking.  
"You were truly desperate when we met," he said.

"Why else did you think I... went along with all this?" She made a sweeping gesture.

"There hasn't been much of a downside for you so far." Loki went down on one knee to face her more closely. "But that is irrelevant. A mortal should not have been able to do what you did."

"Which? The killing or the... other thing?"

"Both, in fact. Yet you seem entirely unaware of your abilities."

"I don't have abilities." This situation was getting more absurd the longer it went on. "I'm a failure at everything I do. And when I finally succeed in doing something, it's a thing I'll go to jail for."

Loki quirked an eyebrow.  
"That is unfortunate. I believe we have already sorted the jail issue, so there is little need to revisit it."

He made it sound so easy.

"Now tell me, has there been other incidents where you've been able to do things others could not?"

"Uh..." She ran a hand over her face, beginning to regain composure. "I walked away from an accident once where everyone else ended up in the hospital. They called it a miracle; I don't know if that counts?"

"It might. You weren't injured?"

"Not a scratch. I don't remember it though, just the moments before and after; not the actual crash."

"It happened with a vehicle?"

"Yes, I was in the backseat."

Loki stood and pulled her to her feet.  
"This bears looking into. Since we have another few days in each others' company before parting ways I intend to get to the bottom of this in whatever manner necessary."

That almost sounded like a threat.

"Why is it so important to you? It's like you said; we're going to part ways anyway." She felt a small, unexpected sting upon saying the words, like the thought of them separating bothered her when it should have been a relief.

Loki pulled her close, looking down at her face as if inspecting it, and she got the feeling that he was seeing right through her.  
"Let's say that curiosity is one of my defining traits."


	7. Surprised

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strange coincidences and uninvited trouble.

Loki's words had sent her thoughts spinning and they kept doing so during most of the day. 

_Abilities._

_Not a mere mortal._

It seemed like the more time she spent with Loki the more she left reality behind.

He also kept asking her questions, most of which she couldn't answer.

"I don't know!" she said for what felt like the twentieth time. "My mum always said I was the luckiest kid alive 'cause I never got hurt no matter what happened. Not seriously, anyway."

"You do bruise," Loki pointed out, turning her wrist over and stroking his thumb over the faded marks from a previous night.

"Yes, but I've never broken anything, and I should have frozen to death when..." She stopped herself. This was beginning to get a little too private.

"When...?" He didn't let go of her arm.

"You don't have to know every damn detail about my life when I know nothing about yours."

Loki smiled slightly and moistened his lips.  
"Perhaps if I shared some information about myself, satisfied some of your curiosity, you would provide me with the answers that I seek? A question for a question, say?"

That was an offer hard to refuse. Curiosity was eating her alive by now.

"And you will answer honestly? Otherwise, there isn't much point."

"Anything I choose to answer will be the truth."

She eyed him suspiciously but decided to go for it.  
"Who are you? _What_ are you?"

"That makes two questions you will have to answer," he said. "I am Loki, of Asgard, and I am a god."

She rolled her eyes.  
"Very funny. And what is 'Asgard', exactly?"

"That is your third question. Asgard is the realm eternal, the most important of the nine worlds in Yggdrasil."

She stared at him, probably looking less than intelligent, but didn't get a chance to reply before he continued.

"Now it is your turn; when were you expected to freeze to death?"

She hesitated but saw no point in refusing.  
"I... Okay, I was adopted. They never knew who my parents were because I was left outside a fire station in the middle of winter. I was estimated to maybe a month old and I was so cold when they found me they didn't think I was going to survive. That's it. That's what I've been told. Happy now?"

There was a strange look on Loki's face, one she couldn't interpret but he definitely didn't look happy. His hand around her wrist tightened till she whimpered in pain. Damn, had he hard fingers.

"Are you mocking me?" he hissed, eyes narrowing.

"Why? Because you told me you're from some fictional realm? At least I'm telling the truth."

He let go of her arm.  
"We will talk later," he said and abruptly left the room.

She stayed put, rubbing her wrist.

Asgard. It sounded familiar somehow, but she couldn't place it. Something from a story...

Loki was really getting on her nerves.

* * *

She steered clear of Loki for a couple of hours. It was easy to avoid him since he spent the time in the bedroom, doing god-knows-what. She suspected he was playing with the artifact again but had no desire to go in there and find out.

Instead, she lounged in front of the TV, distracting herself with mindless watching, flipping between channels. The Avengers were on the news again. They...

Asgard...

Before she could fulfill the thought the sensation of cold steel against her temple made her freeze on the spot.

"Where is it?" came an unfamiliar voice from behind.

"I... don't know," she said, careful not to turn her head.

She felt strangely calm, almost like she was observing the scene rather than living it. There was little doubt that the thing pressing against her head was a gun, and the man holding it probably had a finger right on the trigger. She moistened her suddenly dry lips.

"Where _is_ it?" asked the voice again.

"I don't have it," she said. She couldn't warn Loki, not without getting herself killed. The TV made it hard to hear, but she had a distinct feeling there was more than one intruder in the room. One she might be able to escape but two...

A hand gripped her arm and pulled her to her feet. She only caught a glimpse of the man before he trapped her against him, back against his chest, and pressed the gun up under her jaw. He was strong, heavily built and dressed in plain clothes.

The other one, slightly taller and with dark blonde hair, opened the bedroom door. There was a gun in his hand as well.

After being gone for a minute he came back out, shaking his head.

She frowned. Where had Loki gone? Had he left the apartment without her noticing?

"Clothes are still here," the taller one said, "he's likely to come back."

"Then we wait."

The one holding her tightened his grip on her midriff, making it harder to breathe.  
"When is he coming back?" he said softly.

"I don't know. He didn't say." She had a weird taste in her mouth, one that felt strangely familiar but she couldn't place it. It wasn't like anything she'd eaten recently.

The other man came up to them, taking one of her hands in his.  
"Perhaps this will help you remember."

Before she could react he had taken hold of her little finger and snapped it like a twig.

She cried out in shock. The taste in her mouth suddenly became a lot stronger and the blonde man got a peculiar look on his face before staggering backward as if he'd been pushed. 

"What the fu...?"

Something appeared in at the edge of her visual field. The man holding her dropped the gun with a shout as a dagger cut right through his wrist. Loki, dressed in leather and armor, threw him into the nearest wall before pushing her to the floor. Another dagger hit the blonde man in the throat before he could aim his weapon and the shot missed Loki with inches to spare.

Eldi stayed down while Loki checked on the man near the wall, only to conclude that he was dead, neck broken from the impact.

Slowly she sat up, trying to process what just had happened.  
"What are you wearing?" was all she managed to say.

Loki raised an eyebrow before letting his armor fade in a shimmer and once again appear dressed in normal clothes.  
"That is your first concern?"

"No..." The pain made her aware of something else. "He broke my fucking finger!"

"You were lucky," he said, wrapping an arm around her and, surprisingly gently, lifted her to her feet. "They could have done a lot worse."

Loki went to sit on the sofa, pulling her sideways into his lap. Taking her hand in between his, he mumbled something she couldn't make out while an eerie sensation seemed to surge through her finger. A faint greenish light seeped out between Loki's palms as the pain faded. She wanted to ask what he was doing but didn't dare speak.  
It took a while but when he removed his hands her finger was healed.

"I... How...? Thank you." She closed her eyes, trying to put her racing thoughts into some kind of order.

Their theft had been discovered.

Loki wasn't human.

He had killed two people in a matter of seconds.

Magic was real.

"You really are from Asgard, aren't you?"

"I told you I would answer your questions truthfully; perhaps this will teach you not to doubt me."

"I'm sorry, I just..."

She expected him to push her off now her hand was healed, but he didn't. He kept holding her, letting her rest her head against his neck and shoulder, which all in all felt strangely soothing. Loki wasn't a comforting person. Passionate in bed, yes, but that was the extent of his intimacy. This was out of character and she took it in like someone starved.

"Thank you," she said again.


	8. Cleanup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How to stay grounded and not panic.

"What are we going to do with them?" she asked, carefully avoiding the blood pool on the floor.

"I will dispose of them," Loki said, moving the heavier body aside to inspect the dent in the wall. "It is better that you don't know the details."

Yes, she couldn't disagree on that one.

"I don't recall seeing these two at the party."

"Merely hired hands," Loki said. "They will probably send others when they realize these have failed."

That was a disturbing thought.

"So what do we do?"

Loki was going through the pockets of the man he had killed with his dagger.  
"I will strengthen the wards. They were not supposed to come here without me knowing, and I intend to find out how it happened."

"Wards?"

She didn't get an answer before Loki pulled something out and inspected it with a frown. At a closer look, it seemed to be a small cube-shaped object with a metallic surface.

"What is it?" she asked, too curious to keep quiet.

"Something that disrupts magic," he said. "Crude, but sufficient for the purpose of gaining entry undetected."

"They knew... you use magic?"

"Apparently." Loki turned the item between his fingers, a faint green light now surrounding it. "I felt traces of magic at the club but never had the opportunity to investigate its source. If another magic wielder is involved, it could explain how they found us."

Another magic wielder... This was getting better and better.

"I feel like I've landed in an alternate reality," she sighed. "I don't even know what to expect anymore."

She went to find a bucket and whatever could be used to clean up the blood. Doing something mundane might help in grounding her, she reasoned, and the sight and smell were beginning to make her nauseous.

"Where were you?" she asked when returning. "I thought you were still in the bedroom when he went in there."

"I was," Loki said, still occupied with the object he'd found. "I simply made my presence undetectable."

"As in... invisible?"

"You could call it that if you wish." He tucked the cube away and went to inspect the front door.

Eldi cleaned up what she could without touching the body. She felt strangely numb.

Hearing steps behind her, she resumed the subject.  
"So before you showed up and pushed him away from me..."

"I didn't," Loki interjected. "It appears you did so yourself."

"What? No, I didn't touch him."

Loki was giving her a curious look before bending over and hauling one of the bodies over his shoulders.  
"I will be back soon. Do not open the door voluntarily. I don't expect any more visitors while I'm away, but if it so happens I'm confident you can take care of yourself."

With that, he left, carrying his burden with way more ease than should have been possible, and she remained, wondering what he had meant.

* * *

Both bodies removed, she waited restlessly for Loki to return. Every few minutes she went by the window, trying to see through the dark to the street far below. It was useless and she knew it but she couldn't stop.

The minutes dragged by. Her stomach was a knot of nerves, every little sound making her jump. A shadow in the corner of her eye felt like a threat.

_I'm not cut out for this._

_Too late. You're in deep._

The front door opened and closed so softly she almost missed it. Reaching for the nearest object that looked heavy enough, a tall vase, she positioned herself around the corner and swung it against the intruder as he stepped into the room.

Loki caught her arm and pried her fingers off the vase.  
"That... will not be necessary."

"I'm sorry! I couldn't be sure it was you."

"Obviously not."

Without another word, he continued through the bedroom and into the bathroom. She followed slowly, finding him in the process of filling the spacey tub with water.

"You're gonna bathe now? Why not just shower?"

"Because..." Loki was removing his blood-stained clothes, giving her a good look at his slender, muscular form in the process. "... this is not merely cleansing. Undress!"

His tone made her want to protest. She didn't like being ordered around. Yet...  
"I don't know if..."

"Now! I won't ask again."

She dropped her clothes on the floor, shivering from the sudden cold.

Before she could think, Loki had pulled her towards him and nudged her into the water. He took place behind her, one leg on each side, and pulled her back against his chest.

There was a strange, exotic scent to the water. Loki placed a hand on her brow and she tensed for a moment, thinking he would pull the same trick as in the kitchen, but nothing happened. Instead, he held her firmly in place while shushing in her ear.

Slowly her muscles began to relax, warmth surrounding her on all sides.

She placed a hand on his leg, taking in as much physical contact as she could get. It felt grounding, almost as if his embrace kept her from dissolving, or aimlessly floating away.

She closed her eyes.

"What did you mean you didn't push the guy?" she mumbled. "I saw him being hit."

Loki's hand began moving in caressing circles over her abdomen, relaxing her even further.  
"I did no such thing," he said. "I believe what we saw was your ability to prevent damage to your person."

"But I didn't do anything! And he broke my finger; I certainly didn't prevent that." The memory still made her angry.

"Yet, it's the only suitable explanation."

She pondered that, trying to see it from his point of view. Always thinking the brushes with death and injuries being pure luck, she had never given them much thought. Loki seemed to see it differently.

"I don't understand how that could work," she said, wishing he would explain, wishing he'd make her feel like the world made sense again.

_Why am I trusting this guy? He's not trustworthy; he's dangerous._

_He's the only one I have._

"I am not certain." Scooping water over her hair, he reached for a bottle of shampoo and began to wash it. "There was a flicker of magic around you as it happened but it seems to have returned to its dormant state. I can no longer detect it."

Magic...

"I didn't think magic was real."

"Mortals usually don't possess it."

She swallowed.  
"So why would I?"

"That, my pet, is what we're going to find out."


End file.
